Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-03-29
THE HAND OF STEEL
PREPARED FOR IRELAND'S THROAT
BY THE BRITISH TORIES.

LONDUN, So.-lH tuo uOuSo vi Ioiti-
mons Monday night, Smith, the government
leader, gave intimation of the decision OF
the government to ask the house to advance
the Irish criminal law amendment bill to its
second reading before the proposal to adj
journ the deliberations of the house during
the Easter holidays shout be- made The
government, he said, staked its existence
upon the sue ,ess of this measure, and was
determined to lose no time in pushing it
through to final passage.
Balfour then moved the first reading of
the bill, and referring to Parnelrs amend
ment that the house required further infor-
nation as to the condition of Ireland before
the introduction of the bill, said he thought
the Parneiltes were sufficiently informed
already, and should recognize the anarchy
existing in Ireland as an artiZan recognizes
work done by his own hand. Speaking Of
the amount of crime to be considered, Bal
four said it was shown in fact, and was a
matter Of record, that the police were now
protecting in Munster, 49S persons; in Con-
naught, rs, and in Leinster, 251, and read
documents showing that the persons now
charged with criminal acts in Ireland bore
no relation whatever to the amount of
crime, boycotting, and intimidation existing
there at this time. These facts, he declared,
were proven by the testimony of impartial
and bipartisan wit ,esses, and further
evidence was shown in the fact that juries
had refused in the clearest possible cases to
convict criminals, who, because of the per-
iured action of the jurymen, were permitted
10 so free and repeat their crimes.
Balfour read long list of cases in support
t.NF - IL,
disregarded the evidence against criminals,
and said this sort OF thing existed when the
entire press of Ireland as well as portion
of England held up to public scorn jurymen
who obeyed the laws and decided cases by
the evidence presented. This kind OF terror
ism had completely overturned the jury sys-
tenn in Ireland. The idea that the National
| league in any way whatsoever resembled
| trade unions, Balfour secuted as too absurd
for serious consideration The first idea of
the league, he said, was to combine the plum
der OF individuals with the destruction of the
constitution
He then stated the proposals contained in
the BILL the provisions of which had been
| borrowed from the Scotch system of giving
| to magistrates the power to examine wit
nesses on oath even when no persons are
charged with crime To meet the difficulty
of obtaining verdicts the government pro-
posed to abolish the jury system altogether
for certain classes Of crime the magistrate
to have Jurisdiction in such cases with the
maximum power of condemning convicted
criminals TO six months imprisonment The
cases coming under this provision are con-
spiracy, boycotting, rioting, offences under
the white boy" act, assaultiug Officers of the
law, forcible and unla full possession and in
citing to commit any Of those Offences
Balfour declared that the government had
no intention to abridge the liberty of the
press. and hoped that the law furnishing the
Indictment of offenses would be sufficient Ia
prevent the press from sharing the crimes
committed The bill ermits change of
venue for the trial of graver charges. and in
such cases the attorneys general of England
or Ireland should certify to that effect when
a fairer trial could be had in England. Irish
counsel will be permitted to appear in Eng.
llsh courts in these cases. The crimes triable
in England, which are murder and other ag-
gravated crimes purely political, such as
treason sejitious libel etc, are excluded
from the bill, and in all cases the provisions
of the bill are to be applied to proclaimed
districts only. The proclamation of any as
ISOLATION must be submitted to parlia-
ment within seven days after issuance, and
if parliament shall fail to approve, or con-
denim it. the proclamation will be aban-
doned.
Concluding, Balfour said the operation Of
the bill will not be limited TO any fixed time.
The bill was framed in the cause of liberty
and he asked the house to lose no time il
relieving Ireland of the yoke under which
she is groaning.
Dillon said he did not believe that the PEG.
pie of England wonld sanction such meas
ure, and declared that the people of frelan1
would be slaves indeed, if they submitted t.
it. As for himself, he would willingly ieav,
q country in which no freshman could 1--we
unless he lived as slave or if the peopIe
we're willing he would proudly lead them t,
battle for their liberty and their rights
Such measure as the government proposes
he declared would drive the people back t.
the horrors they had formerly e1per fenced.
Balfour, he said, had proved nothing but hi
ignorance Of ireland and her people, ami the
sooner he resigned his office the better i
would be for Ireland and for himself. Tn,
government had offered Ireland the pros
| ki'NS "a "a VI hb4C Aatll -bGil. bu
let it pass bill enforcing coercion and
neither this nor any other Irish measure
would live to be accepted by an English par
lament
A conference of Liberal Unionists vii
take place on Thursday for the purpose Of
considering the bill. 1t has been shown thai
several Union Liberaltsts do not approve TIL
measure, but 1t is understood that majority
Of the members Of the party are incline t,
favor il. The indications are very stron7
that the government will have majority il
a division on the bill the Parnellites turr
up their noses at the threats of Smith tina
parliament will sit during the Easter recess
and declare that they are ready to meet tn
government upon question of physical en-
duranc9 or in any other way. Whenever o.
how long parliament may sit it matters no
to them. They will be present, and in full
strength
ParnsIl viii hold a conference with hi
colleagues before offering his amendment t,
the criminal amendment bill
| Harrington intends Issuing a manifesto +
his followers within a few days containin.
arguments from his point of view, showing
the vital necessity for coercion, AMI express
| lll-1 srhhluithtS VI a tiO5t ultOLu
character
Paruel regards the bill as one of tn
strongest measures Of coercion ever propose,
III parliament since it not only provides 70
the punishment uf all tine acts hitherto con
sier-d criminal, but even goes to til
length of creating new offences ami present.
ing Punishment for them. The reference
which H.lG,s,Ir made to the press Parnel
says, can mean nothing else than that tn
government inteu Is as soon rs the bill Il
r',->-- to ~ .,,'r IS The prominent Nationals
n,w y, prs.
T.thr' RYAN Joins Father Keller.
DUBLIN. March .a-Fatber RYAN, OF tn
Hsrber stow branch of the National league
whu W. arrested here Monday, succeeded i
eluiing arrest ut IBIS tome and came 10 Dut
In soiu''tu:'iy He escaped detection e
'out' bF laying aide his priestly g1ro an
disgusting himself He was cheered Will
being escorted through the streets BY tn
police aud received many verbal assurance
of sympathy AMI support When he wa
apprehended by posse of police Monday
three OF the constables-R Roman Catholics